Belize’s international airport, the Philip Goldson International Airport should have opened on 15 August as part of the country’s re-opening strategy for tourism. On 5 August, the prime minister of Belize announced that the reopening would be delayed until further notice. No new date has been set. The Belize Tourism Board mainly targets US travellers and recent events there have scared Belize into cancelling opening plans.
The opening of the airport sought to kick-off Belize’s third phase of re-opening, allowing for further travel relaxation and open entry for chartered flights, private aviation and limited re-opening of international leisure travel with approved hotels.
Enhanced health and safety protocols include a “Tourism Gold Standard” Recognition Programme for hotels, restaurants and tour operators. This seeks to enhance health and safety standards by adapting new behaviours and procedures to ensure both employees and travellers are confident in the cleanliness and safety of Belize’s tourism product.
Opening of hotels will be in a phased approach, and the first grouping of hotels that will be allowed to open include properties that have achieved the Tourism Gold Standard Certificate of Recognition.
Passengers who provide certification of a negative test result from a COVID-19 PCR test done within 72 hours of travel will be allowed immediate entry into Belize via a fast track lane.
Passengers who do not provide a negative Covid-19 test must test upon arrival in Belize, at the passenger’s expense. A negative test result will allow entry into Belize.
Passengers who test positive for Covid-19 at the Belize International Airport will be placed in mandatory quarantine for fourteen days at the passenger’s expense.
All travellers to Belize must download the Belize Health App. and undergo temperature checks.
Belize has attempted without success to become a dental and health tourism destination for Americans, but the latest rules suggest this is unlikely to happen soon.
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